Meridia
History Founding Meridia was orignally founded as a Military depot during The Elf/Dragon War and was later expanded to a trade stop and then a full city after the war. Soon after Aadri was built, Meridia became the major trade hub in the area with Gorgon Bay and Tardek to the north. Demon War The Recent demon war was centered on the city of Meridia. It was ruined in the process of battling the demons coming from Meridia due to the Dragons who had previously controlled it and then later even more so when Castle Viria was crashed onto Meridia in 5177 to buy a brief time to regroup until the demons had dug holes to the portal allowing demons to come to the material plane once again. Post Demon War The city of Meridia was rebuilt fully about 100 years after the end of the demon war as it's location was important to commerce in the continent. It's government was re-created from the ground up with a large amount of anti-demon and anti-tyranny influence from the end of the war. It's government is built upon no one person gaining control and it sets it's checks and balances through a Mayor, a Council of Nobles, a Council of Commerce (whom can't be a noble), and fourthly the Inquisitors, whom are mostly judges in the government and their primary purpose is to make sure that laws aren't being broken and that the politicians are not lying or being corrupted from any source. City Style Meridia is based on building many towers to maximize space in the city limits. The walls built for the city are to prevent attacks from the hordes from the south, whom compose of orcs and ogres primarily. Before the Demon war these towers extended miles into the sky, though they were invisible to most of the population. Later during the Demon war they were crashed down on the city after it was warned that it was going to be attacked on a scale never before seen. A safeguard was put in with the taller towers where they have the technology that makes flying buildings installed into them in the event a tower should begin to fall, with the current level of safeguards they only lean slightly when their structure is compromised. Government Meridia's governmental structure is based around checks and balances after The Great Demon War was over with, before that war it was mostly centered upon The Commerce lords whom had more say than anyone due to the nature of the city. There are four primary groups in charge of the city's choices. First is the popularly elected Mayor, second is the Council of Nobles, then comes the Council of Merchants, and lastly the Inquisitors whom some of them are made of the military of Meridia. Laws Meridia is a commerce based city and most of the laws are based around fair competition along with the safety of the people whom are within the city walls. The punishments for most crimes in Meridia are lenient mostly dealing with prison time, fines and rehab in some cases. They are also not afraid to use the death penalty depending on the severity of the crime, usually murder, however they do not believe in public executions, most executions end up in the paper if they ever happen. Attractions Central Park Established once the city was refered to as a city, the central park of the city is the gathering place for most of the events hosted by the government. The park is large enough to fit full tournament and fair grounds and maintains a constant green color to it through paid gardening services. Along with full grass and trees in the grounds, the park also has a full river and lake that is supplied from diverted rivers near the city. Twelve Tenths One of the first taverns established in Meridia after it became a city, this business has been in service for as long as people can remember and Maltas family has been running it ever since. Being one of the oldest known taverns to continue to run within the city, it's age alone gives it popularity and continued patronage from people who's grandfather's grandfather's had meals within the walls of the building. Twelve Tenths' speciality meals usually invovle soup and steaks, and some days, steak soup. The Black Circle First found out in 5005 by the city guards, and probably operating far prior to that, The Black Circle is an underground outfit that gives out entertainment in the form of illegal fights. Many of the fights don't invovle death however occasionally the main event of the night that the gatherings focus on invovles duels to the death with massive winnings for the winner. While not having a static location for each event for obvious reasons, the place is always refered to as the same name. The Skyview Resturant Opened in 5012, the Skyview Resturant is a large domed tower where the primary dining area is the top floor with the view of the sky above for all the customers to see as they eat. The tower itself is tall enough to escape most of the lights from the lower city and allows spectacular late night starscapes in addition to high class dining that requires reservations in advance to get in at the best times of the night. While the city of Meridia has been demolished in history, the resturant is one of the first places to get rebuilt after the esentials are reconstructed. The family that owns the place insists that the place remain standing as it is a symbol of the great things about Meridia. Minotaur's Maze Minotaur's Maze is a restuant that prides itself in having a selection of food completely different from any other resturant in the city. Their food is never made domestically but hunted by adventurers mostly. Many of the dishes served in the place are exotic in the fact that they're made from magical and exotic creatures. Meals such as Minotaur Steak, Chilled Basalisk Brain, Giant Spider Venom Whiskey, and Fried Cockatrice are just a few of the many different dishes offered within the establishment. The Furnace (Resturant) A place that started out as a hole in the wall in a small tower in Meridia in 5020, the place now has expanded and boasts the claim of having the best flame cooked food in the city. Specializing in grilled and barbequed food the place is a natural place for adventurers to go who love the taste of food that smells like it came from a campfire but was definitely made by a paid professional in taste. Two options for tables exist in the place, one is a normal resurant table, the other is a table with a built in flame pit where you can cook your food that has been pre-spiced and prepared to the customer's individual cooking standards. The Scarlet Theatre Established in 5014, the Scarlet Theatre is one of the prime sources of high class entertainment in Meridia. Plays and Operas that play there are usually only affordable by the high class of the city and the private box seats are worth as much as most people's salaries for a season. A large variety of shows play in the theatre allowing it to entertain all personalities of the upper class of Meridia. Meridian Museum of Art( Rebuilt in 5245) *Original Chronicles of Zalli Vorag *Original Chronicles of Dan (5350) : Both copies are held within the Museum of Arts in Meridia. The Chronicles of Dan also have Dan's Rapier "Desperado" within the case. Demon War Memorial (5245) The Memorial has a statue of the Heroes of Legion battling demons along with a large plaque recalling the events of The Great Demon War and the sacrifices of people to make life as it is right now. Edward's Imbibables and Stouthammered Ales (5536)